This is how (well) you eat in the new 'Soho' in Barcelona
It is not necessary to go back very far in time to find the turning point that placed the trafalgar street on the Catalan gastronomic map. And not only in the foodie aspect, but also in the artistic and touristic aspects.
Oriol Serra, CEO of Smart Rooms, put a stake in number 30 Trafalgar Street with the opening of the first hotel in the area, the Yurbban Hotel . Little more than two years have passed since this pioneering commitment that marked a before and after in the development of the area. Today this boutique hotel is proud of its particular bet "live as a native", with a leisure offer that is rooted in the local life of the Catalan capital.
Lolea House
Also, of course, its gastronomic proposal, championed by Lolea House . Trafalgar by Casa Lolea It is a fresh and casual proposal that includes dishes such as shrimp pancakes, tousled croquettes, mini lentil burgers or steak tartare prepared to your liking with homemade herb butter.
Rice dishes deserve a special mention , such as the asparagus rice with duck breast or the creamy black cuttlefish rice, two of the most characteristic dishes on the new menu of the restaurant, which opens its new location in the heart of the hotel. Aligned with the commitment to artistic and gastronomic quality in the area, Bruno Balbás, founder of Casa Lolea, has it clear: "Our goal is for the visitor to discover our most traditional gastronomy, where we recover grandmother's recipes and work on a local product, such as the rice from the Delta or the vegetables from the orchards of the Llobregat ”.
The perfect cocktail and pincho at Trafalgar by Casa Lolea
Now the hotel chain doubles the stake with a second hotel whose opening is quite imminent, and which, of course, will have a gastronomic offer at the height of the circumstances. Among its proposals, names with Michelin stars sound, although the chain has not yet wanted to reveal the secret. What we do know is that in the ** Passatge de les Manufactures ,** a piece of history of the city that runs through the hotel, the third branch of the flexitarian restaurant par excellence will be installed at the end of summer Flax & Kale, Flax & Kale Passage.
The space is located in Sant Pere Més Alt street in Ciutat Vella , and connects with Trafalgar Street through the enigmatic and surprising Passage of the Manufactures . Flax & Kake Passage will have almost 600m2 distributed in several rooms and from the company they say that "they are working on a Fermented Probiotic Drinks Lab which will be a revolution in the world of beverages and also in the Teresa Carles Whole Grains Oven , which will allow the development of breads and doughs that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and gluten free”.
The city's new 'Soho' has a central location, transport links with the entire city and new spaces with great personality, in addition to the textile heritage of the street in particular and of the area in general.
Together, they have turned this section of Ciutat Vella into a prolific area that has swept away all memory of Barcelona's Chinatown. Fortunately, Trafalgar Street businesses are not alone in this challenge, and places like N.A.P. , Located in the Gombau street number 5 They help in the attempt.
And it seems to work if we talk about the fact that in this rather simple-looking restaurant with a noisy atmosphere they serve some of the best pizzas in Barcelona, cooked in a wood oven and where all the ingredients are so homemade that they even make their own yeast. Here is the acronym for N.A.P., Neapolitan Authentic Pizza He doesn't lie, his pizzas are superlative.
superlative pizza
As superlative is the offer, thus, in general, that we find in one of the most romantic bistros of Barcelona, Pla de la Garsa . Located in a 17th century building, its history is almost as long as its menu, which focuses on Catalan market cuisine dishes, such as Molí de la Llavina blue cheese croquette , breaded aubergine triangles with soft Mahón cheese or coca de foie with caramelised onion and pistachios. Although historical of the letter, as its black sausage timbale with rossinyols They cannot be missing in a self-respecting culinary appointment.
Romantic and excellent on the plate
The Iberian pork molletes with bearnaise and crispy onion, “pringá” or squid with kimchi aioli are some of the tastiest and crunchiest bets on the market. Quillo Bar , one of the most recent openings in the area.
On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, in addition, its gastronomy is served to the beat of live flamenco or rumba, which pairs perfectly with delicious desserts such as caramelized French toast with almond cream . At the head of this restaurant with a southern air is Jordi Asensio, who previously worked in the kitchens of the Loidi, by Martín Berasategui, Roca Moo or Mugaritz . One more example that the presence of Andalusia is in very good health in Barcelona.
Salmorejo
“Estimar is the love for the sea and its raw material, the work with dedication and the passion for our clients”. I don't say it, of course, it says it Rafa Zafra , the renowned Andalusian chef and former bulli, an expert connoisseur of seafood, who today leads Estimate , one of the most applauded gastronomic addresses in Barcelona.
Estimar is an intimate, charming, well thought out place with a deep love and respect for the sea. And so, combining Catalan and Andalusian knowledge, they have managed to make Estimar (which in Spanish means "to want") today a paradise for lovers of marine products and the game that their flavors and textures give, such as their crayfish and caramelized onion carpaccio (Tribute to Bulli 1995) or the Andalusian-style battered baby squid with their own ink mayonnaise.
And that no one, no one, leave this area of Barcelona without having licked their fingers after enjoying a delicious cream puff pastry of the Vilamata bakery (Carrer dels Agullers, 14), founded in 1925 and one of the traditional icons that abound, fortunately, for this new 'Soho' in Barcelona.
Perfect as a finishing touch to a gastronomic street trip